


Hogwarts Career Counseling

by SouthernContinentSkies



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Hogwarts Career Counseling, Logic puzzle, NOT a prose fic, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26701948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SouthernContinentSkies/pseuds/SouthernContinentSkies
Summary: The Hogwarts Heads of House are responsible, among many other things, for advising their students on possible careers. Each Head of House has met with one of their own 6th-year students, each of whom has a particular favorite class, hobby, number of OWLs to their name, and career goal. Can you identify which is which, and how realistic these students' hopes actually are?
Comments: 7
Kudos: 18
Collections: Fic In A Box





	Hogwarts Career Counseling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FeatheryMinx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeatheryMinx/gifts).



> If you are having difficultly solving the puzzle, see the End Notes for reminders of canon and other general information incorporated (but not outright stated) in the hints.

In the staff room one evening, the four Heads of House were sitting in their favorite chairs, drinking tea and discussing their students. It was the season for Career Counseling for the Sixth Years, and there were always both impressive students to brag about, and, er, less impressive students to sigh over. That afternoon, each Head of House had met with one particularly notable student. Each student had a different hobby, a different favorite class, a certain number of OWLs (and, therefore potential NEWTs) to their name, and a different ideal job - some of which were more realistic than others. Using the hints below, and your basic knowledge of Hogwarts and the wizarding world, see if you can identify which is which. The complete list of items in each category follows the grid.

  * Severus was very smug upon learning that his student had more OWLs than Filius's Ravenclaw. Minerva, whose own student had scraped a concerning 2, said nothing. 
  * Though they weren't good enough to play professionally, the Quidditch player's familiarity with the sport should at least give them a good way to schmooze with their future Ministry colleagues. 
  * Gringotts positions are by far the most competitive, at least as far as human witches and wizards are concerned. Anyone without at least 5 NEWTs need not apply. 
  * The reader's personal habits sadly did not transfer to their academic performance; they received even fewer OWLs than the Hufflepuff, who hadn't earned enough to apply to Gringotts. The logic puzzler, on the other hand, was naturally quite fond of Arthimancy, though that difficult class hadn't kept them from earning more OWLs than at least two other students. 
  * The Ravenclaw's favorite class was History of Magic. 
  * The Quidditch player, the Hufflepuff, and the person with 7 OWLs were all in a study group for their Charms NEWT, though only one of them considered the class their favorite. The prospective Daily Prophet Reporter, having not passed that OWL, did not join them. 



  


[](https://ibb.co/dbBKW62)

(You can click the image for a higher-res version.)

  


**Houses:** Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor  
**Numbers of OWLs:** 2, 4, 5, 7  
**Favorite Classes:** History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Charms, Arithmancy  
**Hobbies:** playing Quidditch, knitting, reading, solving logic puzzles  
**Career Goals:** aide at the Ministry of Magic; apprentice to Madam Malkin; reporter at the Daily Prophet; Gringotts Cursebreaker  
  
  
  
  
  
Break for the "spoilers" in the End Notes, if you wish to avoid them.

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Canon and other facts the puzzle hints assume you know:  
> \- A student must have an OWL in a subject before taking the NEWT class or earning the NEWT.  
> \- Severus Snape is Head of Slytherin, Minerva McGonagall of Gryffindor, Filius Flitwick of Ravenclaw, and Pomona Sprout of Hufflepuff.
> 
> Things that are more in the realm of opinion (e.g., "A Hufflepuff wouldn't do that!") should not be assumed unless stated.
> 
> **Note: The comments contain the solution.**


End file.
